Mike Kelly wasn't kidding when he said athletic ability alone wouldn't be able to keep a player in Blue and Gold.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers boss made that abundantly clear yesterday when he released kick returner Ramonce Taylor, a ridiculously gifted athlete whom the coach said wasn't mature enough yet to make it as a pro.

"I said all along that athletic ability is about fifth on our list of requirements that are needed in order for you to be a Winnipeg Blue Bomber," Kelly said. "He didn't uphold very well in the first four. So as gifted as an athlete as he is, this wasn't the time or place for him right now."

Most notable

Taylor was the most notable of 12 players released by the Bombers yesterday, which left their training camp roster at 63 players. Other significant cuts were quarterback James Kilian, receiver Justin Surrency and kicker Dan Giancola.

Taylor, a former University of Texas star, wasn't exactly a choir boy before arriving in Winnipeg two weeks ago.

He spent five months in prison last year for probation violations and was kicked off the Longhorns in 2006 for academic reasons.

Kelly said there wasn't a specific incident during training camp that caused him to terminate Taylor.

"There were some things that I didn't feel warranted keeping him around, that his athletic ability didn't trump some of the other aspects," Kelly said.

"... I'm looking for mature individuals here that know how to handle themselves as professionals and know how to come to work every day and have, at the end of the day, feel like they've accomplished something."

Director of player personnel John Murphy said Taylor wasn't that great on the field, either.

"There's obviously physical, natural talent there, but when you have 50% mental mistakes in the game, that's hard to overcome," Murphy said.

Taylor seemed to be having a hard time grasping CFL rules. Several days into camp he let a punt come to rest on the turf, failing to realize that the ball was live and that the punter could recover it.

Also not helping his cause was the fact he dropped the ball on a punt return in Wednesday's pre-season win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Aside from axing a talented ball handler and runner, the Bombers also axed the man they figured would be their primary returner this season. Defensive back John Eubanks, another rookie who got return reps in camp, was also among those released yesterday.

Murphy said veterans Jovon Johnson, Fred Reid, Joe Smith, Keyuo Craver and Arjei Franklin, along with rookie running backs Lavarus Giles and Yvenson Bernard, are all in the running for the job now.

The Bombers play their final pre-season game on Tuesday night in Montreal, and Murphy said the team couldn't risk having Taylor put in another weak performance.

"I don't want to go into Edmonton (for the season-opener) at kick return and punt return with a brand new guy who, even if he's done it before, has not done it with us in a game situation," Murphy said.

The Bombers have to set their 46-man roster and seven-member practice squad by Thursday at 2 p.m.